Highlights in Architecture (Памятники Архитектуры)
Almost (почти) all basic trends in world and Russian architecture in the 18th – 20th centuries are represented (представлены) in Saint Petersburg. That’s why the city is called “A Museum in the Open Air”. Its architecture is fantastic (фантастический, замечательный). Many buildings (здания) of the city are treasures (сокровища) of Russian architecture and some of them may be regarded (могут рассматриваться) as masterpieces (шедевры) of world significance (значимость).
The plan of the city was unusual (необычный) for Russian towns. Instead of a hill (холм) with a citadel (крепость), a Kreml, from which the name of Kremlin (Кремль)occurred (произошло), an island (остров) in the Neva’s mouth (устье) was chosen as a focal (центральный) point. A fortress (крепость) was erected (воздвигнута, сооружена) there.
This allowed (позволяло) for an arrangement (строительство) of straight (прямые)avenues (проспекты), streets, and for those architectural ensembles (архитектурные ансамбли)for which the city is famous (которыми знаменит город).
In Peterine times (в петровское время) the typical building had common (общий, одинаковый)stylistic traits (характер стиля) such as clear silhouette (четкий силуэт), grace (грация), modest exterior decoration (скромный декор фасадов) and clear-cut (четкий) planning (планировка). The buildings of the first thirty years of the city’s existence (существование) can be classified (классифицироваться) as BAROQUE STYLE (Стиль Барокко) of early period (ранний период).
The building of the Twelve Colleges (architect Domenico Trezzini) (Здание Двенадцати Коллегий. Доменико Трезини) was built between 1722 – 1742. It was designed for the twelve main ministries of the Government (Правительство). Now it houses the State University.
Many residences, palaces and churches appeared in the city and its environs in the middle of the 18th century. They were richly decorated. This style came to be known in architectural history as Russian Baroque. The outstanding examples of this style are: The Smolny Convent, The Winter Palace, The Stroganov Palace (Architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli), The Cathedral of Saint Nicolas (Никольский Собор) with its belfry (колокольня) standing separately (отдельно) (Savva Chevakinsky).
The second half of the 18th century was marked by the enrichment (обогащение) of the nobility (дворянство) and the wide scale construction of country estates (загородные имения). The Baroque Style was too ornate and complicated (пышный и сложный) for construction held by serf craftsmen (крепостные ремесленники). By the 1760s this style was gradually (медленно, постепенно) ousted (вытеснялся) by the more economical, simpler style Classicism (Классицизм). At first this style incorporated Baroque elements (включал в себя элементы Барокко).
The second phase STRICT CLASSICISM (Строгий Классизм) was characterized by proportions common to ancient Greece (древняя Греция) and Rome (Рим). The first of the “Classicists” was the architect Giacomo Quarenghi ( Джакомо Кваренги). His most eminent (знаменитые) buildings are: the Academy of Sciences (Здание Академии Наук) and the Smolny Institute (Смольный институт).
Ivan Starov built the Taurida Palace (Таврический Дворец) for Duke (Граф)Grigory Potyomkin (Григорий Потемкин), a favourite (фаворит) of the Empress Catherine II (Императрица Екатерина Вторая) in 1789.
Taurida is the ancient (древний, старинный) name of the Crimea Peninsula (Крымский Полуостров). The Field-marshal (Фельд-Маршал) Potyomkin was given the title (титул) of Prince of Taurida (Князь Таврический) as he was a Commander-in-Chief (Главный Командующий) of the Russian army (армия) in the Turkish War (Турецкая война – Русско-Турецкая) in Crimea (Крым).
The young Russian capital expanded (развиваться)rapidly (быстро), becoming more and more beautiful, especially during the years after the victory (победа) in the Patriotic War of 1812 (Отечественная война 1812 года). Not only individual buildings (отдельные, отдельно-стоящие здания) but whole (целый)architectural ensembles (архитектурные ансамбли)came into being (стали появляться). The classical architectural style of high classicism (Высокий Классицизм) had finally came into being. This style was not so strict and was characterized (характеризовался) by groups of buildings with sculpted decorations (лепной декор). The style is best illustrated (лучше всего проиллюстрирован) by buildings erected in St. Petersburg from 1800 to 1830:
The Stock Exchange (Биржа), architect J. Thomas de Thomon (Тома Де Томон), The Kazan Cathedral (Казанский Собор), The Mining Institute (Горный Институт), architect Andrei Voronikhin (Андрей Воронихин).
The most brilliant (блестящий)representative (представитель) of this style is Carlo Rossi: The General Headquarters (Здание Главного штаба), The Mikhailovsky Palace (The Russian Museum), The Alexandrinsky Theatre and Rossi Street.
At the second part of the 19th century many architects borrowed freely from various styles: French, Italian Renaissance (Ренессанс, Возрожение), Gothic (Готика), Romanesque (Романский стиль), Early Russian (Ранний Русский Стиль). This borrowing (заимствование) is called Eclecticism. It can be seen in such buildings: The Mariinsky Palace (Maria’s Palace) (Мариинский дворец), The Nikolayevsky Palace (Николаевский дворец), architect Andrei Stakenschneider (Штакеншнейдер), The Lutheran Church (Лютеранская церковь), architect Alexander Bryullov (Брюллов), The Mariinsky Theatre (Maria Imperial Theatre, architect Albert Cavos), The Palace of Grand Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich (The House of Scientists (Дом Ученых), architect Alexander Rezanov).
Those times were marked by intensive construction of banks, railway station, industrial buildings, mansions of wealthy merchants (особняки состоятельных купцов), multy-storey blocks of flats, shops. At the turn of the century new materials, such as metal, large was characterized by asymmetrical proportions, sinuous forms and functional solutions. This style is called ART NOUVEAU: The Yeleseyev Store (Елесеевский Магазин), architect Gavriil Baranovsky, The Palace of Ballerina M. Kshesinskaya, architect Alexander Gogen, The “Astoria” Hotel, architect Fyodor Lidval.
Our house
Our house is big and white with trees around it, a great big yard and grass growing without fence. It has tight steps in front and windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath. Bricks are crumbling in places and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in. Out back is a small garage for the car we don’t own yet and a small yard that looks smaller between the two buildings.
Styles in architecture.
Baroque style.
Baroque (ital. barocco through Spanish from Port. Baroco – odd, ugly, wrong, broken). To define always renovated trends of uneasy romantic attitude, thinking in expressive, dynamic shapes.
Baroque is a historical style of art, that extended first in Italy in the middle of 16th -17th centuries, and then partly in France, then in Spain, Flanders and in Germany in 17th – 18th centuries.
Baroque historic style forming was caused by the crisis of ideals of Italian Renaissance in the muddle of 16th century and swiftly changing “World Vision” at the edge of 16th -17th centuries.
Italy became the motherland of Baroque style.
It was Michelangelo, who destroyed the usual ideas about painting and compositions by his expression.
New silhouette underlined powerful movement upwards that overcomes the gravity and reminds us of nothingness of the world (земных дел).
The figures of human body were created according to the artist’s fantasy.
The walls are not accepted as bearing, powerful pilasters aroused the feeling of rippling of the wall surface, both recessive and pulled-out.
Destructive twisted forms of columns appeared.
Facades became concave.
It was done to make us feel movement. Architecture interflowed with sculpture
Rococo
Rococo is an original style of art, being worked out in the French art in the 1st half of the 18th century.
It is one of the best-known “royal styles”.
It was in the 17th century in France when it became fashionable to decorate park pavilions – grottoes, stylized as natural caves, decorated with stones, décor in the shape of shells.
Time after time shell shape has become the main subject of décor that was called rocaille.
Up to the beginning of 18th century its shape was hardly to be recognized – it was not just shell, but something coil, in a short way – “rococo”. That is how the name of the new style appeared.
Classicism
Classicism is faced to future, not to the past, that is his artistically-historical idea.
It has strict shapes, straight lines, measured by classics.
It is a stable style. Classical form arouses the feeling of being a part of something godlike, so it is considered to be magic. But it was not lasting, and grew into Mannerism and Baroque.
It has trends to form regular geometric figures: round, square.
Empire
This style appeared in France in the beginning of the 19th century during the époque of Napoleon Bonaparte. Its elements were taken from antique culture, that have been in Classicism of Louis XVI.
It become cold, pompous, and style ordered by authority.
It has changed harmony of classicism into theatrical pathos. Many shapes of architecture and art of Ancient Rome.
New styles
New styles appeared in case of stylizations of natural styles.
However the first place in this row is New Gothic style, that was born in the middle of 18th century.
In the 19th century appeared New Rococo, or the second rococo, The Second Empire, The Second Empire Style, “New Renaissance”, New Baroque, The Third Rococo, New Bidermiyer, New Classicism, New Realism… These styles don’t arouse of feeling of something new.
Eclectics
It is combination of different types of decoration styles.
It appeared in the second half of 19th century. It demonstrates magnificence, richness.
This combination was used in the churches of Ton in “Russain-Byzantine” style.
Modern
It is the period of development of European art in 19th – 20th centuries: 1886 – 1914.
Modern tried to absorb everything.
Some people connected it with Rococo.
It was not style of art but “lifestyle”.
It was unusual, strange, fantastic, painful and repellent
It was called “the last phase of art of the last century… sigh of dying age”.
The Renaissance
The Renaissance or the revival of learning was the period then european culture was at it's high. It lasted from the 14'th centure till 17'th centure, and was coursed by complex economic situation and social conditions. The feudal system was been shuttled by the bourgeoisie, thich was getting stronger and stronger. It was more profitable to unite under a single rouler. Absolute monacy came into being. This lead to the forming of nations and the true sense of the world. New social and economic conditions called for the new ideology, because the catholic dogmas didn't correspond to the new trend of life. For this reason in many european countries the protestant religion sprend up and national churches were established.
Instead of the blind face ordered by the catholic then appeared a new outlook which was called humanism. The time demanded positive recional knowledge and this demand was supplied: in astronomy by Copernicus, in philosophy by Tomas More, in geography by Columbus, Vaska de Gama and others. Leonardo de Vinci was force a new feory of art: "It was the greatest progressive revolution that mankind have so far experience, a time, thich called for "Giants" and produced Giants in power and thought, passion and character in universality and language."
An example of a typical men of the Renaissance period was: the famous Englishmen sir Walter Raleigh, he was a soldier, sailor, explorer, pirate, coloniser, historian, thilosother and a poet. He was much interested in science and literature. He wrote works of geography and lead expedition to South America. He was an outstanding poet. His poems are full of profound wisdom, written with great elegance and salacity of style. He organised of "academy". Christother Marlowe the greatest dramatist (before Shakespear). But the most important of most this writer and one of the greatest men of this period was sir Thomas More.
The Hermitage Gallery
I'd like to tell you about the Hermitage Gallery, one of the largest and well known museums in the world. Two months ago together with my classmates I was on an exertion in S. Petersburg. I visited many places of interest including the Hermitage Gallery. I was greatly impressed by visiting this museum of art. It was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Second when she bought 225 pictures in Berlin. Now the Hermitage consists of five buildings.
Now I'd like to tell you about pictures, sculptures and other works of art I've seen in the Hermitage Gallery. A great number of wonderful pictures are offered there. Everyone can find some kind of pictures to enjoy, for example the pictures by the world's greatest masters: Michelangelo, Raphael, Rembrandt, Rubens and many others. All great schools of paintings are represented there: Italian, Spanish, German etc.
A few words about sculptures. I saw a lot of vases, statues and fountains. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen was the fountain belonged to Alexander the Second.
Among other outstanding pieces of art I saw the coach of Catherine the Second and beautiful gobelens. It took 60 years to made one of these gobelens.
In conclusion, I'd like to stress that no one can see everything for the one visit. To enjoy the Hermitage Gallery you must visit it several times.
The State Hermitage in St Petersburg is one of the world's most outstanding art museums. It is the largest fine arts museum in Russia.
World famous is the collection of West-European paintings covering a span of about seven hundreds years, from the 13th to the 20th century, and comprising works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, El Greco. Velasquez, Murillo; outstanding paintings by Rembrandt, Vandyke, Rubens; a remarkable group of French 18th-centure canvases, and Impressionist and Post Impressionist paintings. The collection illustrates the art of Italy, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Austria, France, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and some other countries. The West-European Department also includes a fine collection of European sculpture, containing works by Michelangelo, Canova, Falconet, Houdon, Rodin and many other eminent masters. The Hermitage, together with the Pushkin Fine Arts Museum in Moscow, must be ranked among the richest in the world in respect of Impressionist art.
In addition to the works of Western masters, the Hermitage has sections devoted to the arts of India, China, Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Pre-Columbian America, Greece and Rome, as well as a department of prehistoric art, not to mention a section devoted to Scythian art. People come to admire the collections of tapestry, precious textiles, weapons, ivories, pottery, porcelain and furniture as well.